Chapter 13
The New Media University 1001
Attention and Word of Mouth Marketing
In the spirit of the New Media University metaphor, we've now graduated and are pursuing advanced learning, the same way we would seek to earn an MBA in continuing education.
FROM INTROVERSION TO EXTROVERSION
As you may or may not know, I'm a big believer in, and also forever a student of, the social aspects of new media. I've dedicated a significant amount of time to studying the sociology behind the technology, as well as the implications of technology in society and how we interact with one another. Indeed, I believe the implications are much bigger than we think. In many cases, the promise of online sociology are still greatly underestimated.
The staggering adoption numbers of social media bring to light a quantum shift in our behavior. We are, without a doubt, empowering a new genre of digital extroverts, encouraged by what I playfully refer to as the Verizon Network—the armada of virtual friends and peers who journey with us as we traverse online and offline. Perhaps this is more accurately defined as a personal support system or quite possibly a socialized ego system that champions free thought and speech, while instilling confidence and self-esteem with every comment, retweet, reaction, and connection we earn.
This observation is much more profound than we may initially expect. And its implications for the future of media and marketing are not yet fully understood. As we examine the social landscape ...
